Thai Fish Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 12 ounce about 2 filets of white fish, cut into bite-size chunks (I've had good success with Tilapia, which is cheap and holds up well in the freezer)
• 1 Tbsp. galangal root (cut into think matchstick (ginger root* works as a substitute))
• 2 stalks lemongrass (smashed and chopped into inch-long pieces)
• 2 wild lime leaves (substitute juice from half of one lime if you do not have access to lime leaves)
• 2 small tomatoes (quartered)
• 1/2 cup mushroom (button or white, quartered)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh sweet Thai basil leaves (chopped (substitute regular basil if needed - you can also omit if you don't have any handy))
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1-2 hot Thai chili peppers* to your taste (seeded and sliced into rings)
• Juice from half of one lime

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring the chicken broth, galangal (or ginger) root, lemongrass, and hot Thai pepper to a boil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat.

2. 2

   Stir in the fish sauce, mushrooms, basil, lime leaves (or juice, if substituting), and tomatoes, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for about ten minutes.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, in your serving bowl (or divide among individual soup bowls), place the cilantro, green onions, and lime juice, and give the bowl a little swirl.

4. 4

   Add the chunks of fish and continue to simmer until the fish is opaque and cooked through (just a few minutes).

5. 5

   Remove the lemongrass stalks and lime leaves, and discard.

6. 6

   Transfer the soup to your serving dish (or individual bowls). The cilantro and green onions will rise to the top and maintain their fresh flavors.